What If Collection 4: All On The Line
by Driven to Fight
Summary: "It's all on the line here kid" - Whistler to Buffy in Becoming Part 2. Set during 'Passion' - what if Buffy had struck first against Angelus, before he'd had the chance to kill Jenny or bring forth Acathla? Examines the burden and sacrifice of being the Slayer. Also, an appearance by Kendra!
1. Chapter 1

**Buffy's Bedroom – Early Morning**

Buffy awoke slowly, sitting up in her bed stretching out her arms as she let out a yawn. After a few seconds she realized that something wasn't quite right. She looked at her bedroom window. It was open. She was sure she had left it closed. Had someone entered her bedroom while she had been sleeping? She jumped out of bed, reasoning that they could still be in the vicinity of her room, or elsewhere in the house. As she threw the bedspread back a folded sheet of paper fell to the floor. Perturbed she picked it up and opened it.

An awful chill shot through her entire body and she could feel her heart racing as the panic set in. Dazed, she sat down on her bed needing the support as she continued to stare at the paper that she held in her hands. A charcoal drawing of her sleeping peacefully stared back at her hauntingly.

_Angelus_ was her only thought.

**The Library**

Xander, Willow and Cordelia sat around the library table chit-chatting idly while Giles pondered about the library, returning a pile of books to the stacks.

"How many people actually check out books from this school library?" Xander called.

"Xander. This school library is a valued service for many students. Many actually value the written word. Granted they are in a minority in this school."

"And I'm one of the minors in that minority," Willow chimed in.

"Some of those books are a health hazard. The dust and the dull small print. You should get some magazines in here. Trust me; more people would use the library," Cordelia suggested.

"Cor, I think Giles prefers it that way; you know the whole Watcher thing with its secrecy and all?" Xander chided her.

"Whatever," she replied curtly.

Abruptly the Library doors flew open, each slamming hard against the walls due to the sheer level of force exacted on them.

Buffy stormed into the library, immediately altering the happy-go-lucky atmosphere that had preceded her entrance.

"Whoa, Buffy. To what do we owe this pleasure?" Xander asked sarcastically, referring to her foul mood.

Buffy glared at him impatiently before spinning towards Giles whom had now descended the stairs, towards the group.

"He was in my room. Angelus was in my room last night. And he left me a memento," Buffy said, thrusting the piece of paper in her hand at Giles.

Giles examined the paper.

"He was in your room?" Xander asked incredulously.

"How come you're still alive?" Cordelia asked, tactlessly.

"Cordelia!" Willow shushed her.

"Buffy he's trying to provoke you. You can't let him get to you," Giles told her.

"Can't let him get to me? But he already _can_ get to me Giles. Whenever he wants. Who knows what he might try to do next time around," Buffy yelled, anxiously.

"Buffy's right," Xander piped up.

"Xander, please," Giles said, trying to calm the situation.

"No, seriously Giles. Angel is a vampire, a killer. He's already been terrorizing Sunnydale for far too long. I say our Slayer slays."

"It's too reckless. And, he'll be expecting it," Giles insisted.

Willow stood up and approached Buffy, standing mere inches away from her as she spoke quietly, "Do you really think you could kill him?"

"He's not Angel anymore, Will. And, I think I'm finally able to accept that. If I wait for him to make the next move it could be too late. He's moving in closer now and I can't be here to protect all of you all the time. I can't take the risk that he might kill one of you, when I'm not around."

"How about taking the risk of him killing _you_?" Cordelia pointed out.

Buffy turned around to face the entire group, "I live with that risk every day," she said sombrely.

"Buffy-" Giles started to protest.

"Giles. I can't keep waiting around. Besides, Angelus isn't as strong as he thinks he is."

"He has an advantage over you though."

"What, that he's psychotic and I'm not?"

"Well…uh…yes…but also, he knows you well. You don't know him, you knew Angel. Angelus is a master at manipulation, Buffy."

"I'm aware of all that, Giles. I'm going to do this. I'm ready to do this," she said.

Giles remained silent as he looked at her. He understood why she wanted to go after Angelus immediately. She couldn't deal with being made to feel like a victim. She hated being powerless. Her natural reaction was to fight back. The only problem was Angelus already knew that about her. And, he would surely be ready. Yet, Giles knew that any further attempt to stop her would only fall on deaf ears. _So be it, we'll take the fight to him._


	2. Chapter 2

**The Factory – Same time**

Angelus sauntered into the main room of the factory towards Spike and Drusilla. He casually lit a cigarette and released a long satisfied drag as he took a seat. A devilish grin of contentment spread over his lips.

Spike, having scrutinized Angelus' entrance, wheeled himself towards him, despite being in the middle of a conversation with Drusilla. Devoted as he was to his dark goddess, Angelus was a threat to their happy home and Spike knew that he had to shut him down as soon as possible.

"How was your night?" Spike asked, with insincere concern.

"Interesting."

"Angelus was busy playing hide and seek with the girl. He likes the games he plays with her," Drusilla exclaimed in a childlike singsong voice.

Angelus smirked at her lustfully. Drusilla knew him so well.

"These _games_ he's playing are going to get us all staked," Spike said, glaring at Angelus.

"Relax Spike. I have everything under control."

"The Slayer will hunt you down and _kill _you_. _That doesn't bother me. What does is that when she finds you, she finds us."

"Spike, my love, don't worry your head," Drusilla said, comfortingly.

"Yeah, Spikey. Lighten up."

"Damn well listen to me, Angelus! Either kill the bitch or don't, but don't piss her off any more than you already have, or we're all for it."

Angelus shot out of his chair and lunged at Spike, gripping his shoulders viciously. He leaned in close and spoke in an eerie whisper, "You can't kill her. You've tried and failed embarrassingly. She's stronger than all of us. Force isn't the only way to kill her. Be patient. I've been doing this for a long time, Spike, my boy. Just sit tight."

"Just bleeding hurry up then," Spike said, always one to have the last word.

"By the way, I need to borrow some of your boys tonight for a little expedition," Angelus told Spike as he let go of him roughly.

Spike didn't respond, instead he simply rolled his eyes. He knew if Angelus wanted something, no one could stop him from getting it. And, more to the point, no one ever had. Suddenly, a piercing scream from Drusilla diverted Spike's attention.

Both Spike and Angelus spun in her direction as she collapsed to the floor moaning in pain.

"No! No…Angel," she cried out.

"What is it, pet?" Spike asked her gently.

Angelus stood over the two of them, his expression pensive.

"The teacher has something of Angel's…." Drusilla said, trailing off.

"What Dru? What does she have of mine?" Angelus asked impatiently.

Drusilla rolled to face Angelus. She looked up at him, painfully, "The key to your soul. She's going to destroy our nice family, Angel," she murmured, moaning softly like a child.

Angelus said nothing. He stood, staring at Drusilla completely lost in thought.

**Sunnydale High – Computer Science Lab**

Jenny Calendar sat in front of her desktop computer screen, contemplating something as she twirled a pen casually in one hand. It helped her to think. She knew she was extremely close to deciphering the text she'd been working on for the past few weeks, yet she wasn't quite there yet. She had to resolve the glitch in the program she had been using in order for the text to be revealed in its entirety.

Frustrated, she huffed and slumped back into her chair. _What was wrong with the program? Why wouldn't it reveal the full text?_

All of a sudden, she felt a presence in the room. She spun in her chair, terrified at the prospect of who might be standing behind her. To her relief, it was Rupert Giles. But, he wasn't looking at her. He was gaping at the computer screen in awe.

"Ritual of Restoration? Is this what I think it is, Jenny?" he asked her, still staring at the screen.

Flustered, Jenny quickly closed the program, "Uh…Rupert…well, yes it is. But, there's one more glitch I have to fix to get the entire text."

"Jenny how did you ever…. I thought these texts were lost," Giles asked incredulously.

"It's a long complicated story, Rupert. I didn't want to tell you until I was sure it would work."

"This could change everything. I must let Buffy know immediately."

"It's not for sure yet," Jenny warned him.

"But it could very well be. I have to warn Buffy before she goes after Angelus."

"She's going after him?" Jenny asked, disbelievingly.

"Yes, he's getting too brazen of late. He's been in her bedroom and she's afraid of what he might do next."

Jenny fumbled around in her desk and pulled out a leather-bound pocket-sized book, "Here" she said, handing the book to him.

Giles took the book and looked at her in question.

"It has tons of protection spells. It should have some sort of spell to reverse the invitation rite to keep Angelus out of Buffy's home for now until we can try the curse," Jenny told him.

"Thank you," Giles said, sincerely, looking at her with a deep intensity. They held each other's gaze for a few moments, not requiring speech to let each other know how they felt. Their eyes said it all.

Giles was the first to break the silence, "Oh…I…I better go and locate Buffy," he said, suddenly remembering the urgency of the situation.

"Maybe I will see you soon," Jenny said, a hint of a question in her voice.

"Yes. I'll stop by tonight. Will you be here long?"

"A few more hours. I want to see if I can figure out the last piece of this puzzle."

"Alright," Giles said with a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Buffy's House**

Buffy stood in front of her mirror examining her appearance. She was preparing herself for the most difficult task of her slaying career yet; killing the love of her life.

She was perturbed as she stared at herself in the mirror. She looked much like a stereotypical assassin in her black leather pants, white tank top and her well-worn leather jacket. Inside her pockets, up her sleeves and strapped to her lower legs were stakes, as well as the knife that she held in her right hand. It might take many stake-attempts before she finally succeeded against Angelus tonight. She was prepared for the long haul. She could do this. Couldn't she?

She knew her mother would return from the art gallery soon and she wanted to be gone before she arrived home. She couldn't see anyone until tonight was over with. She had to remain focused on nothing else but taking down Angelus. She knew it would be a difficult fight in more ways than one. She had to be ready. She had to believe that she could finally kill him, because a moment's hesitation would mean her death. Angelus wouldn't hesitate if he got the opportunity, so neither could she.

Suddenly the phone began ringing downstairs. _Just ignore it_, she told herself.

The second that the incessant noise ended it abruptly began again. She headed downstairs, trying to ignore it. She would have succeeding in doing just that until the answering machine kicked in and she heard Giles's voice, "Buffy, if you're there, pick up. It's urgent. I have some news concerning a mutual former friend."

Buffy knew that Giles was doing his best to talk in code in case her mother had been home. She knew he was talking about Angelus.

She frantically rushed to pick up the phone, "Giles? Yes…what's happened? Did Angel-"

" Buffy, Jenny has found a way to translate the text that's used to re-in soul Angel."

"Are you saying that there is a way to curse him again?" Buffy asked, her heart jumping to her throat at the mere possibility of bringing Angel back.

"Yes," Giles replied, triumphantly.

Buffy was silent. Her face was expressionless. She slowly pulled up a chair, suddenly finding herself with an overwhelming need to sit down.

"Buffy? Are you still there?" Giles asked, concerned.

"Yeah…I'm here," Buffy said softly.

"Listen, Buffy. I realize this is a lot to take-" Giles began. He was cut off abruptly by a shrill scream coming from Buffy's end of the phone.

Buffy shot out of her chair and bolted for the front door where the scream was coming from. She peered outside and saw her mum cowering in her car, surrounded by a gang of vampires. One of them was trying to pull her out of her car.

_Mum_!

Buffy bolted out of the house with such speed that everything around her was nothing more than a blur. In one swift movement, she leapt into the air, executing a roundhouse kick against the vampire who had hold of her terrified mother as he attempted to drag her out of her car. The kick was so powerful that it propelled her opponent through the air. He landed hard at the end of the driveway.

"Mum, are you alright?" Buffy asked, anxiously, as she attempted to get her mother out of the car and into the safety of their home.

"Buffy, call the police," Joyce urged her daughter.

Buffy was about to protest, but she wasn't given the chance as another of the vampires rushed at her, knocking her to the ground. Joyce cried out to her daughter, but stopped mid-sentence as she watched Buffy expertly flip herself to her feet and assume a fighting stance. All four of the vampires slowly advanced on her, circling her menacingly.

"You harmed my mother. You just declared war" Buffy threatened, even as her opponents moved in closer.

"You can't kill us all, Slayer," one of them told her.

"Clearly you have no idea what a Slayer is," Buffy retorted.

The instant that the words had left her lips they all attacked. Buffy expertly blocked hit after hit, kick after kick. But, after a few moments, the speed at which they attacked made it impossible for her to maintain her defence. She was driven to her knees and they began kicking her, savagely, driving her further to the ground.

"Angelus sends his greetings and apologizes he can't be here," one of the attackers told her.

Upon hearing these words, a new level of adrenaline coursed through her, spurred by her deep emotional hatred for Angelus and the revelation that it was he who had sent these vampires after her mother. It was acceptable battle strategy to threaten Buffy herself, but to target her family and friends was unredeemable. Angelus would face the full wrath of the Slayer, starting with these vampire lackeys of his.

Buffy threw herself upwards into her attackers with such force that they all flew a good distance backwards. While they were all reeling from that experience, she hurriedly guided her shaken mother out of her car, leading her towards the house.

"Buffy. What the hell is going on?" he mother asked, exasperated and clearly shocked by what was happening.

"I'll explain later," Buffy responded. As she led her mother into the house, she sensed someone behind her. At that same moment, her mother looked back.

"Buffy, watch out!" she screamed.

Without even looking, Buffy spun, withdrawing a stake as she did so, and threw it directly into the attacking vampire's heart. He turned to dust instantly. She saw the others approaching fast and she quickly ushered her mum inside the house. Joyce's eyes were wide with shock.

"What…. what happened?" she struggled, incredulous that someone had just turned to dust in front of her.

"Mum, just get inside," Buffy insisted.

Buffy slammed the front door shut even as her mother continued to peer through the window in the door at the scene before her.

Buffy turned towards the approaching vampires, "What are you waiting for?"

The vampires snarled and attacked her. This time, Buffy effortlessly blocked their attacks, dusting two of them in unison, with a stake in both of her hands.

The final vampire remaining, hesitated, and circled her, rather than attacking, having just watched her stake two vampires without even breaking a sweat.

Buffy lowered her stake to her side, "I want you to give Angel a message. Tell him coming after my family was a bad move. I'm coming for him. No more stalling."

The vampire snarled at her and turned to leave. As Buffy watched him go a car noisily sped into her driveway. Four figures stepped out. Giles, Xander, Willow and Cordelia. They were all armed to the hilt. Xander saw the vampire coming and reflexively staked him.

"Xand!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Xander asked, surprised that Buffy didn't seem too pleased that he had just dusted a vampire.

"I was using him to get a message to Angel," Buffy explained, letting out a sigh, "Never mind."

Giles ran towards her, taking in the scene before him. There were no other vampires around, but the driver's window in her mum's car was smashed and there were numerous scratches on the door.

"Buffy, what happened? Are you alright?" Giles asked, extremely anxious.

"I'm fine. Just some superficial cuts and bruises. Angelus sent some of his vamps after my mother."

"Dear Lord. Is she alright?"

"She's inside, but I think she's in shock or something. She'll be alright, which is more than I can say for Angelus. I have to stop him, Giles. Tonight," Buffy said.

"I understand."

"Giles, if I hadn't been home they would have killed her."

"Don't think like that, Buffy. You were here. You stopped them," Willow said.

All of a sudden, Joyce emerged from the Summers' home and approached the group. She didn't utter a word. She just listened intently.

"Uh, guys. Why would Angelus send some random vamps to do his work for him? Doesn't he take great creepy pleasure in taunting Buffy?" Xander asked.

"What are you saying?" Cordelia asked.

"He's saying that those vamps were a diversion. They were to distract me from something," Buffy said, with sudden realization.

"But, what?" Giles asked aloud.

"Giles, didn't you say that Jenny is working late at the school tonight on the restoration text?" Willow asked.

"He's going after Jenny!" Buffy exclaimed.

"He's going to try to prevent her from translating the full text and thus, stop us from restoring his soul," Giles said.

"What the hell is going on?" Joyce suddenly blurted out. The entire group spun to see her standing just behind them. Until now, they had been unaware of her presence. They were far too engrossed in their conversation to have noticed her approach.

Buffy walked towards her mother. She paused, and then took a deep breath, "Mum, I'm a Slayer. I fight the forces of darkness."

Joyce's eyes rolled back in her head as she tried to take in the new information. It was incomprehensible to her. Her daughter was a slayer of demons? It was bewildering to her to even imagine the monsters they portrayed in horror movies and novels as actually existing, especially in this small town of Sunnydale. This couldn't be happening.

"Buffy, I don't understand. Are you okay, honey?"

"Mum, I'm not crazy. We'll talk about this later, okay? I don't have time right now," Buffy said, turning to go.

She glanced and Xander and Willow and without having to utter a word, they already knew how to help her, "We'll take care of your Mum…. and try to fill her in on Sunnydale and all. Also, I brought Jenny's book to retract Angel's invitation to your house," Willow told her.

Buffy still looked worried.

"Don't worry, Buff, we'll take care of it" Xander assured her.

Joyce stepped towards her daughter, grabbing her shoulders firmly, "Buffy, you're not going anywhere. We need to talk about this. How did this happen? Who were those people and why were they after you?" Joyce shouted.

"I told you, Mum, I don't have time right now."

"Buffy, you will make the time," Joyce insisted.

"Uh…Miss Summers-" Giles began.

"Buffy!" Joyce shouted, ignoring Giles.

"All right, Mum. You want to know why I have to leave. If I don't leave now, Angel, my ex vampire lover is going to murder Miss Calendar to stop her from translating an ancient ritual that will restore his soul and make him the way he was before. If I fail, not only does she die, but I will also have to kill _him_. And, those people who attacked you? They're vampires, sent by him to piss me off and divert me from doing what I should be doing now; stopping him," Buffy blurted out.

Joyce just stared at Buffy, utterly speechless.

Buffy looked at her Mum for a moment, then sharply turned away.

"Giles, I have to go. Now," she said.

"Go, I'll catch up."

With that, Buffy sped down the street towards the high school.

**School Library**

Jenny Calendar entered the Library. She was exhausted. _What a long day!_ She was also irked that she still hadn't managed to translate the entire text. No matter, she knew it was merely a matter of time before she succeeded. _Patience, patience._

She approached Giles' office, to use the phone. She wanted to inform him that she was on her way to his apartment. As she reached the door, she felt something was not quite right. _Someone's here!_ She spun around, towards the stacks and there she saw it. A shadowed figure emerged from behind one of the stacks.

"Jenny Calendar."

The figure stepped into the light.

"Angelus," Jenny gasped.

"That's right, baby, in the flesh."

"What are you doing here?" she stammered.

Angelus sauntered slowly down the steps. Jenny involuntarily started to move backwards.

Her thoughts were frantic and barely linear as the panic set in. The school was deserted. There was no one around. She thought about running but she knew Angelus possessed unbelievable speed. She considered trying to reach the weapons cabinet to try to stop him somehow, although she wasn't really sure how she would even accomplish that. More and more ideas inundated her as she tried desperately to formulate some sort of plan. But, nothing stuck and none of her ideas were feasible, because Angelus was too quick and too strong. She was only a human being. What chance did she stand against a vampire like Angelus?

Suddenly it dawned on her. She was going to die.


	4. Chapter 4

Buffy burst through the main entrance to Sunnydale High. She had expected to feel some resistance from the locked doors. She eyed the doors. The lock had already been destroyed. _Angelus._

She sped through the hallways towards the computer science lab. Just as she approached the door she heard a piercing scream in the other direction. She followed the sound until she reached the library. Under normal circumstances, she would have surveyed the situation before rushing in headfirst, but there was no time in this instance.

She pushed through the doors and saw Angelus astride Jenny who was struggling violently beneath him on the floor.

"Angelus!" she yelled.

"Miss Summers," Angelus responded, turning his head. His haunting vampiric features stared back at her. She noticed that there was blood on his lips. He'd already bitten Miss Calendar.

He slowly eased himself off Jenny, "Couldn't wait your turn, lover?" he said, licking his lips.

Buffy was determined not to let his relentless taunting affect her. As if to prove that, she hurled a stake at him, aiming just beside his heart. She threw it with such speed and force, she could barely even see it flying through the air. However, despite the speed, Angelus expertly caught it, just before it pierced his skin.

He started laughing psychotically, "Buffy, my sweet. You really think it'll be that easy to kill me?"

Beside Angelus, Jenny struggled to get to her feet. Angelus watched her, relishing in her discomfort and complete fear, before quickly becoming bored with it. He grabbed her, hauling her to her feet and threw her hard into the library cage. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Angelus registered Buffy's alarmed reaction, although she remained silent. He grinned, enjoying her attempt to remain calm in his presence. He knew that even seeing him, or hearing his voice, unnerved her greatly. After all, he wore the face of the man she had loved so deeply. And he loved the reaction this caused from her. Her pain elated him and made everything he did to taunt her all the more satisfying. It made him want to hurt her more. He had been an expert in both physical and emotional torture when he'd been the scourge of Europe and if there was one thing he had learned it was, why go for the kill when you can prolong the pain? And prolong the pain, he would.

"Finally, just the two of us."

"No more waiting," Buffy responded.

Angelus casually paced around the library, occasionally taking his eyes off her. Buffy knew that he was trying to distract her by constantly moving. He, like Buffy, was a talented fighter and was well aware that it was very difficult to defend against a sudden attack when the opponent was not rooted to the same spot. And with the speed at which Angelus was capable of moving, the speed of her reaction was vital. That was why she could not let him distract her, no matter how emotionally provocative his words might become.

"So, what's the deal here, lover? Did you come here to kill me?" Angelus asked.


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't need to kill you," Buffy told him.

"Oh right, because the good teacher figured out the curse. You really think you have what it takes to beat me, Buff?" Angelus said, as he moved closer.

"I'm ready for a little fun. Aren't you?" Buffy challenged, as she leapt into the air, executing a flying kick that threw Angelus across the other side of the room.

He landed hard, using his hands to break his fall. Growling deeply he jumped to his feet, spinning to face her, "Now, _that_ hurt," he told her, his smile gone.

"And, I'm just getting started."

Angered, Angelus shot out his fist to strike her, but Buffy was prepared. She grabbed his hand, turned into him and used his weight against him to throw him over her shoulder.

Angelus prepared to get to his feet, but was stopped by Buffy. She approached him, kicking him brutally as he lay on the ground.

"You think you can come after my family, my friends?" she screamed at him.

Angelus struggled against her powerful blows, but he eventually managed to grab her ankle and knock her off balance. As she crashed to the floor, he moved quickly, straddling her until he had her pinned to the ground.

"It's sorta my M.O., Buff. But, you know, maybe it's time to change my act and just have my way with you, instead," Angelus said, eyeing her seductively.

Without warning, Buffy shot her head up into Angelus, disorientating him for a moment. She ripped her arm out of his grip and threw a punch at him, forcing him away her. Then, she expertly flipped herself to her feet and assumed a fighting stance.

They glared at each other, the both of them preparing for the other to make the first strike.

"So, that's all you've got?" Buffy challenged Angelus.

"You're really asking for some serious pain, Buff."

"All those threats; turns out you're all talk and no action, huh," Buffy told him, unfazed by his threat.

Buffy withdrew a stake, and held it tight, ready for whatever moves Angelus made.

Neither of them moved. Buffy watched Angelus carefully. And, she knew he was right. No matter what she had told herself, or what she had tried to condition herself to think, Angelus wore the face of the man who she had loved above all else.

"Buffy, behind you!" Giles' voice roared from the library doors.

As soon as his words had reached her, she suddenly felt it, the presence behind her. Something unworldly, evil. She had been too engrossed in her battle with Angelus that she had lost her awareness of her surroundings. She had dropped her guard to all but him.

And, that was when Angelus made his move.

He rushed at her, ripping the stake out of her hand and kicked her viciously. She crashed into the table and hit the ground hard. She moaned in pain. As she struggled to her feet, Angelus grabbed her by her jacket collar and threw her again into the weapons cage.

Before she had the chance to recover the mysterious attacker who had been behind her revealed herself.

_Drusilla! _

She flew towards her, forced Buffy to her feet and began assaulting her with hit after hit to her solar plexus. Buffy blocked a couple of the hits, but they just kept coming. She gasped in pain.

"So, this is the mighty Slayer, huh? Pretty unimpressive," Angelus taunted her, as he revelled in Drusilla's brutal assault.

"The battle's far from over," Buffy told him, as she kicked Drusilla hard, in the stomach, forcing her backwards.

Buffy struggled to catch her breath. She knew she only had mere moments to recover her position.

Angelus sauntered towards her leisurely, as she pulled herself to a standing position, gripping the library cage for support.

"You can't defeat the both of us, Buff," he told her.

Buffy glared at him, ferociously.

Without warning, Angelus roared as an arrow imbedded itself in his neck. He snarled, as he ripped it out, and turned in the direction of the attack.

Giles.

"Get away from her!" Giles roared at Angelus.

"Or, you'll do what? You got an army up your sleeve? You have nothing!"

"Giles, I can't protect you. Get out of here," Buffy ordered.

She gritted her teeth and assumed a fighting stance, "Buffy," Giles protested.

Buffy let Giles' voice trail off as she focused on the situation before her. Drusilla and Angelus approached.

"Buffy, finally we fight," Drusilla exclaimed, playfully. She hissed at Buffy and bared her vampiric features.

"What else you got, Buff?" Angelus asked.

Without warning, there was a loud explosion of broken glass from the library windows. Someone came crashing through, landing perfectly on the ground below and spinning into an uninterrupted series of flips, before landing directly beside Buffy.

The young woman assumed a fighting stance; stake it hand, "She's got me."

"Kendra!" Buffy rasped.

Kendra glanced at Buffy and smiled.


End file.
